Common Idioms

Definitions

It cost me an arm and a leg to take my trip to Very expensive

Australia.
I was over the moon when he asked me to
marry him.

Extremely pleased or happy

You are taking your IELTS test next week??

Doing or starting something too early
Arent you jumping the gun. Youve only just
started studying.
He comes round to see me once in a blue
moon.

Happening very rarely

Hes got a chip on his shoulder.

Feeling inferior or having a grievance

about something

I reckon getting a band 7 in IELTS will be

a piece of cake! Im very good at English.

Very easy

The money sent by comic relief to help poverty A very small part of something much
in Africa is just a drop in the ocean. They
bigger
need far more than this.
Getting a low score the first time I took IELTS Something positive that isnt
was a blessing in disguise. It forced me to
recognized until later
study extremely hard so I got a much better
score the next time.
We have to actually do something about global Its better to actually do something
warming. Actions speak louder than words. rather than just talking about it
I bumped into Jenny in town the other day. It's Meeting someone you would not
a small world.
have expected to

Idiom Practice Exercises - Practice 1

1. Getting my car fixed is going to cost me

as the
an arm and a leg

engine has completely blown, but I have no choice. I need it for work.
2. The flu I had a few weeks ago which prevented me from going on holiday with my
friends was
. They had a terrible time. Everything
a blessing in disguise

went wrong and it cost them a lot of money.

3. I was in a caf in Italy and amazingly I saw Paul from down the road in
there.
it's a small w orld

4. Jan is finally getting a chance to go on her trip of a life time, a holiday to Australia!
She was
when I spoke to her.
over the moon

5. 3 pounds may seem like

but if everyone
a drop in the ocean

contributed that much we'd have thousands.

6. The government keeps talking about reducing poverty but what do they ever do
about it? Nothing!
.
actions speak louder than w ords

7. I've got a promotion at work, but all John did was make a joke about it. He has a
real
. I think he is just jealous.
chip on his shoulder

8. The interview for that new job was

. They asked
a piece of cake

me really easy questions.

9. The new Martin Scorsese film is out at the cinema. A film that comes out that I
really enjoy and want to see happens
, so I'll
once in a blue moon

definitely go and see it.

10. He was

when he gave up his job to start

jumping the gun

university. Now he has found out he can't get a grant.

Common Idioms

Definitions

Oh well, I got 5.5 in IELTS again.Back to the

drawing board!

When an attempt to do something

fails and it's time to start all over
again using different methods

I hate my job so much I cant bare going to

Having two very bad choices.
work, but if I quit I dont think I can get another
job. Im really stuck / caught between a rock (note: stuck/caught can be omitted)
and a hard place.
I have to bite my tongue so I dont say what I Wanting to say something but
really think of him!
stopping yourself.
Come on, cut to the chase. We havent got all Leave out all the unnecessary details
day!
and just get to the point
Are you putting all of your savings into that
company? Dont put all your eggs in one
basket.

Putting all of ones resources into one

possibility

Try not to worry about it. Every cloud has a

silver lining.

Believing that every bad situation

has a positive side / eventually leads
to something good

It was difficult when I moved to another

country but I eventuallyfound my feet.

To become comfortable in what you

are doing

My parents are very fixed in their ways. They Not wanting to change from the
wont start using the internet.
normal ways of doing things
I think he got up on the wrong side of the
bed this morning. He is in a terrible mood.

To refer to someone who is having a

bad day

My mother will always go the extra mile to

help people.

Doing much more than is required

when doing something

Idiom Practice Exercise 2

1. Can you

and tell us if we are going to lose

cut to the chase

our jobs or not?

2. Don't be so grumpy with me! Did you

?
get up on the w rong side of the bed

3. He's very

. He'll never vote Labour. He's

fixed in his w ays

voted for the Conservative party his whole life.

4. I know everything seems very bad at the moment but
. I'm sure something good will come out of it.
every cloud has a silver lining

5. I know you shouldn't

but I'm going to sell all

put all your eggs in one basket

my stocks and shares and purchase an off-plan property in Spain. I'm sure it will be
fine.
6. I was

in that meeting. I really wanted to tell

biting my tongue

him that his idea was no good but you can't say that to the boss.

7. It doesn't look like this strategy to improve the company's profits is working, so
it's
!
back to the draw ing board

8. Jane really

yesterday. I only asked her to pick

w ent the extra mile

the kids up from school, but she took them home, helped with their homework and
put them to bed.
9. She's

. Her marriage isn't working so she's

betw een a rock and a hard place

very unhappy at home, but if she moves out and leaves him her family will blame her
and won't talk to her.
10. The job might seem confusing at first as there are a lot of different departments
you need to work with but you'll soon
.
find your feet

Common Idioms

Definitions

I think youve hit the nail on the head. Thats Say exactly the right thing
the reason he didnt get the job.
Todays going so badly. If its not one thing,
its the other.

When everything seems to be going

wrong

I just said it in the heat of the moment. I was Saying or doing something suddenly
angry. I know I shouldnt have.
without thinking about it

Keep an eye on him. I think he may cheat in

the exam.

Watch someone or something

carefully

Have you heard? John down the road

has kicked the bucket.

Died

I dont want to argue with him again. Its better Avoid a conflict
to let sleeping dogs lie.
I told him what gift you have bought him for his Tell someone something that you
birthday. Sorry, I didnt mean to let the cat out were not supposed to
of the bag.
Dont tell her what you really think of her if
Hurt or upset someone who is
shes helping you with your English! Dont bite helping you
the hand that feeds you.
Im not sure which party he is going to vote for. Not making a firm decision between
Hes sitting on the fence.
different choices
Everything she does is very over the top. She Excessive
cant just have a few drinks se has to get
really drunk.

Idiom in use - Practice Exercise 3

1. I missed my bus this morning, then when I went for a taxi I realized I'd left my
wallet at home. Then when I got back home I couldn't find my key. Now my computer
has crashed. Honestly,
.

2. I hope Joyce hasn't

. She was in her 90s.

She got taken off to hospital the other day as she was very unwell.
3. I

as I accidentally mentioned that we are all

meeting for a drink tonight. Sorry, I know you didn't want him to know.
4. I tend to

over most controversial issues. I'm

never sure which side of the argument to support.

5. The boss never disciplined John over the fact that he came into work late twice
last week. He must have decided to
.

6. Try to keep up good relations with your boss. You don't want to
.

7. He

when he said the reason we lost the

match is because of weakness in our defence. That's definitely the reason.

8.He doesn't really hate you. He just said it in the
.

9. An IELTS examiner has to

speaking test. It should not be more than 14 minutes.
10. Her angry response to your email was way
. You had every right to say what you did.

the time in the

Common Idioms

Definitions

Lets keep studying for IELTS.Practice makes Continuously doing something to

perfect.
improve
Dont get upset about what he said. Hes
just pulling your leg.

Joking around

Sorry but I think Ill take a rain checkon that.

To decline an offer that you will take

up later

As a rule of thumb, I dont study at weekends. Principal that is strictly adhered /

I spend the time with my family.
kept to
I can smell a rat. He said he has a PhD but he To sense that something is not right
cant even remember which university he
studied at.
Shes the spitting image of her mother.

To look exactly like someone else

The ball's in your court now. What are you

going to do?

Telling someone it's now their turn to

make a decision

Unfortunately I think hell be studying for

IELTS until the cows come home. His
English is very poor.

For a very long time

It was all tongue-in-cheek. He didnt really

mean what he said.

Something said in humour rather

than seriously

Shes feeling under the weathertoday so she Unwell

wont be going to work.

Idioms Exercises - Practice 4

1. Wow the painting is

of you. Who drew it?

the spitting image

2. I'm a bit busy so I'll

, but thanks for inviting me.

take a rain check

3. I've been a bit

since last night. I think it may have been

under the w eather

something I ate.
4. Are you

? I don't believe you really did that.

pulling my leg

5. The police

when he said he wasn't involved in the

smelt a rat

crime. Someone fitting his description had been seen in the area.
6. Don't worry if you can't do it yet. Keep trying.

.
practice makes perfect

7. The

in our house is not to talk about politics it always

rule of thumb

ends in arguments!
8. The TV programme was a

look at American culture. It

tongue-in-cheek

wasn't that serious.

9. I've told him how angry I am, so

now. We'll see what he

the ball's in his court

does.
10. We'll be waiting

for England to win the football World

till the cow s come home

Cup again.

Common Idioms

Definitions

We've had some big disagreements over the

years, but its all water under the bridge now.
We get on fine.

Things from the past that are not

important anymore

You are what you eat so its better to have a

healthy diet.

If you eat bad food, youll be

unhealthy, if you eat good food,
youll be healthy

You cant judge a book by its cover. I need to

get to know him before I decide what he is like.

The belief that outside

appearances do not reveal what
someone or something is really
like

We're really working against the clock now. We Not having enough time to do
must hurry.
something
Why are we bothering? We'reflogging a dead
Attempting to continue with
horse. Our online business is making no money, something that is finished / over
so we should move on and do something else.
I bent over backwards to help him. I hope he
appreciates it.

Doing all you can to help

someone

So you have the IELTS test today??Break a leg. Good luck

Ok, I'm playing devil's advocatehere, but if

marijuana is legalized, isn't it more likely young
people will smoke it?

To put forward a side in an

argument that may not be your
own in order to show the counterargument / ensure all sides are
discussed

Hold your horses! We haven't won anything yet. Telling someone who is getting
ahead of themselves to wait / be
patient
She is driving me up the wall. She won't stop
talking.

Annoying or irritating somebody

Idiom Practice Exercises - Practice 5

1. We'll be

to get this finished. It's 4pm so we

w orking against the clock

only have an hour left.

2.

mate! I'm sure you'll do well. You're easily the

break a leg

best team.
3. I agree with you really. I'm just

so you know
playing devil's advocate

what those who disagree with you may say.

4. Please, don't worry about what you said anymore. It's all
. I know you were just feeling upset at the time.
w ater under the bridge

5. Stop trying to get back with your ex-girlfriend. You're

. There is no love between you anymore.
flogging a dead horse

6. I thought John was an idiot when I first saw him just because of the way he
dressed. But
he's a really good bloke.
you can't judge a book by its cover

7. My doctor always says

when I go to see him

you are w hat you eat

about my weight. It's very true as I have a poor diet.

8. The government is

before the election to

bending over backw ards

appear united. They know the electorate needs to believe in them.

9. My younger brother really

. He argues and disagrees

drives me up the w all

with everything I say.

10. I think you should

! You aren't ready yet to

hold your horses

quit and start your own business. You need more experience.